Scam artists! Customer beware. I went into Rick Johnson Auto & Tire to... read more Scam artists! Customer beware. I went into Rick Johnson Auto & Tire to have a routine oil change. I had a coupon for $9.95 and the first red flag should have been that they could not do it for this price since my vehicle is a Honda and it requires 5W 30. They told me it would be $23.xx, I agreed. Then the person says they can do it right then and about 30 minutes later comes to get me and takes me out to the garage where my van was and tells me I have been driving on no oil and my vehicle is making funny sounds. I said I don't believe you, I have my oil changed every 3 months and I check it regularly, also, the oil light has NEVER come on!! He said that he could not do the oil change and unless I agreed to a diagnosis and repair of what was wrong he could not under any circumstances do anything. UGH!! I told him he was ripping me off and he said I can take my car if I want. So, I had to drive my vehicle about 1 mile to the nearest gas station and buy 5 quarts of oil to put in my van. I could not open the hood anymore, so I had a friend come and help me. Somehow my hood was latched in a way that I am still unable to unlatch it without some help and a lot of jiggling. It's been about 3 weeks now and I have been checking the oil regularly with help on the current hood issue. No oil loss. Yet, since that day, my vehicle make a very bad sound every time I start it. Ugh. It's sound like my engine is about to go. I am a single mom on a low income and these people destroyed my van. I don't know when the engine will go, but I do not have the funds to replace it. I wanted to call and say something but I knew they would do nothing and even if they diagnosed it they would not take blame for what happened. I would not trust them anyway to diagnose or fix it for free! I have to worry now daily how long will my car last? What am I going to do?? I am posting this review everywhere I can and reporting this company to the BBB. I am not just an angry customer with one bad experience, this was so corrupt and so wrong it is my duty to warn others.
This is the place to take your vehicle. Really. I had no idea where to... read more This is the place to take your vehicle. Really. I had no idea where to go when my BMW's computers shut down several weeks ago, other than the costly service dept at the BMW dealer. The alternator and battery, which ended up being the root cause, also gave up the ghost at the same time. As did the coolant reservoir. Most everything is packed into the engine compartment and takes many hours to diagnose, remove, and replace. Not to mention the cost of the parts. I received open ended estimates from the BMW dealer in Fort Myers as well as an independent shop. It was pretty bleak and little hope was offered regarding the health of the computer system in the car. The projected repair costs were in the multi thousands. A neighbor suggested I call Kellyn at Karr Automotive. I did and he spent quality time with me listening to the problems. Along with the computer shutting down and dead battery, I mentioned that there was also a loud rattling and that the car has seemed sluggish since I purchased (the just out of warranty) car several years ago. No shops had been able to figure that out and I just lived with bad performance. I mentioned that the dealer suggested the main computer and specialized software were the problem, and needed other expensive diagnostic testing. Kellyn didn't think so and said to bring it in and he'd figure the situation out. I had it flatbedded to Karr Automotive the next day. Surprisingly Kellyn had researched all the issues before I got there and went right to work on the car. When I picked it up a few days later I was amazed at how well the car ran! No more rattle, no more sluggishness. It was like a new car and fun to drive! He'd also ended up replacing the water pump and found failed seals in the crankcase vent valves. The internal pressure in the engine was compounding on itself and causing the sluggishness. Wow, what difference! And the bill? It was about 5 times less expensive than I'd been quoted from the BMW dealer. And they didn't even know about the other items he found and fixed. And it certainly didn't need a new computer or software as had been promoted by the dealer. After I picked it up, I drove it to the Keys the next day. It ran like a top! Love it again! This has been long winded, but I really wanted to speak to the thoroughness of Karr Automotive's attention to my car and how they researched the entire group of problems and fixed the issues completely. Any mechanic can put in a water pump or plug in a new computer unit. Kellyn put in the extra effort to solve the issue as a whole, rather than piece by piece. Lastly, people are often deceived by auto mechanics pretending to listen and who then hand them a large bill surprise at pickup time. You will find Karr Automotive an honest, respectful, and attentive repair facility for any type of vehicle. 5 stars in my book for sure.
Kellyn is the most honest mechanic I have ever met and I feel confiden... read more Kellyn is the most honest mechanic I have ever met and I feel confident having him take care of all my vehicles. His expertise is unmatched, and he has always completed everything on time and on budget for me. I trust his work enough to let my family drive on it every single day. Look no further, this should be your mechanic.
